Gang-die for cutting and shaping sheet-metal articles.



P. SCHOLZ.

GANG DIE FOR CUTTING AND SHAPING SHEET METAL ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. 1915.

Patented May 8, 1917.

Inventor: P- 55112115 UNTTED STATE PATENT FFTGE.

PAUL SCHOLZ, 0F DAMSGAARD, PB. BERG-EN, NORWAY.

GANG-DIE FOR CUTTING AND SHAPING SHEET-METAL ARTICLES.

Application filed March 16, 1915.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL SoHoLZ, director, citizen of Norway, residing at Damsgaard, pr. Bergen, Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gang-Dies for Cutting and Shaping Sheet- Metal Articles, of which the following is a specification.

In the usual type of machines designed to produce simultaneously a plurality of rectangular sheet metal boxes or covers it is necessary to leave a space of at least from 1 to 1:} centimeters between the cutting edges of adjacent dies which obviously causes a corresponding amount of waste material to be produced.

The present invention has for its object to reduce this waste to a minimum.

To attain this result the first step is to cut out the sheet metal piece which is to form the main blank for the plurality of boxes.

This main blank consists of a strip having oppositely located tongues on its longitudinal sides, each pair of such tongues, together with the part of the strip lying between them, forming a blank for one of the boxes. When these blanks are severed along their joining portions, independent sheet metal pieces are formed having approximately the same shape as blanks cut in an ordinary box die.

The cutting of the main sheet metal blank into single blanks takes place in the box die a itself during the downward stroke of the upper die members and immediately after cutting each independent blank so formed is pressed into box shape during the same downward stroke of the die parts. Both of these steps of operation, viz: the cutting and the subsequent pressing to shape, are made possible in the same machine by placing every alternate upper member of the closely adjacent die members slightly higher than the intermediate member, so that cutting edges are formed between each set.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a continuous sheet metal main blank for forming four subsidiary blanks;

Fig. 2 shows, diagrammatically, the lower die members;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the upper and lower die members.

The main sheet metal blank 1 is cut Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1917.

Serial No. 14,643.

so that its longitudinal sides'form four oppositely located tongues 2 each pair of which, together with the material lying the members and the subsidiary blanks of the sheet metal piece -1 are separated from each other as mentioned. The several die members of the machine consist as usual of a lower fixed presser ring 6- and a throw-out piston S acted upon by a spring 7 in the lower die, and further of an upper presser ring 9- and a pressing block .10 in the upper die. The parts -9 and 10 are vertically movable independently of each other.

As shown in Fig. 8 all the four die sets are placed closely together but every second set is located 23 millimeters higher than the intermediate sets, so that offsets 1l (see also Fig. 2) are formed between them. These off-sets are made straight for the necessary length (see the lines 33 in Fig. 1).

When the continuous main blank 1 is passed in between the upper and lower die members, the pistons 8 are in their upper position (in Fig. 3 they are shown in de-' pressed position), so that their top-faces are flush with the top faces of the rings 6. The rings 9 of the upper dies now descend (see the arrows 12 in Fig. 2) whereby the subsidiary blanks of the main blank -1 are separted from each other by means of the off-sets -11. Each of the several subsidiary blanks now rests on its presser ring 6-- and is soon clamped fast between the rings 9 and 6. The pressing blocks 10- then descend so as to force the middle portion of each subsidiary blank down into the rings 6 in the usual manner until the boxes are formed (see Fig. 2). The throwing-out pistons -8 now are in their lowermost position as shown in Fig. 3.

The pressing blocks 10 are now moved up so as to be pulled out from the boxes whereupon the rings 9 are raised, and simultaneously the-boxes are forced up by the pistons 8 in the usual manner. The

The

parts 9 and -10 are actuated as usual by means of double eccentrics or by any other suitable device.

The ready-made boxes are removed from the dies and conveyed to a new machine or to another part of the machine in which their folding-rims are clean-cut.

In the described manner it is possible to press a plurality of (for instance four) rectangular boxes simultaneously in one ma- ,chine without wasting any more material than when pressing single boxes.

If four boxes had to be pressed in the usual manner, a waste of 11} centimeters Width of material would occur between each pair of boxes, and in articles which are produced in large quantities such a saving is of great importance.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a die for manufacturing simultaneously a plurality of rectangular conserving boxes or similar articles, the combination of a plurality of upper die members placed closely together in a row with every alternate die member located somewhat higher than the other ones, whereby ofi'sets having cutting edges are formed between adjacent die members, and a row of corresponding lower die members arranged similarly tothe upper die members, whereby offsets having cutting edges are formed therebetween, so that the offsets of the upper die members, in passing closely by those of the lower die member, perform a cutting action during the downward stroke of the upper die members,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL SOHOLZ.

Witnesses:

EMJL LORENZ, J OHN HAt'IxoAs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained fol five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

